Washington, DC.- Friends and community members payed tribute to Ambassador Tirgran Sargsyan and his family at the farewell reception at St. Mary Armenian Church on January 14. Mr. Sargsyan will assume the chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Commission Board in Moscow, Russia on February 1. The farewell reception was presided over and attended by the Primate, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, and sponsored by St. Mary Parish Council. Also in attendance were Permanent Representative of the Republic of Karabagh in Washington Robert Avedissian, the whole staff of the Armenian Embassy in Washington, Legate of the Eastern Diocese Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Executive Director of Armenain Assembly Bryan Ardouni, Executive Director of Armenian National Committee Aram Hamparian and former US Ambassador to Armenia, Michael Lemmon and his wife. On behalf of ADL were present member of District Committee of US and Canada Kevork Marashlian and Board member of ADL Armenia Varaztad Avoyan.
In his speech, Arch. Barsamian emphasized Mr. Sargsyan’s dedication to the Armenian Nation in his capacities as President of the Council of Araratian Diocese of Yerevan, as Director of Central Bank of Armenia, as Prime Minister of Armenia and as Ambassador to the United States, which embodies his values as religious, economic expert and politician. On behalf of Armenian Assembly, member of Board of Trustees Annie Totah thanked the Ambassador for his cooperation during his short tenure in Washington and wished him complete success in his new leadership endeavor. Also spoke Rita Balian and Father Hovsep Karapetian, Pastor of St. Mary Church.
Ambassador Sargsyan thanked the Armenian Community of Greater Washington for their unconditional support given to Armenia, for their complete cooperation during the Centennial activities dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide last May when the hierarchy of the Armenian Nation, President Serge Sargisyan, and Holy Fathers Karekin II and Aram I were visiting Washington.
Ambassador Sargsyan has been Chairman of Armenia’s Central bank from 1998 to 2008 and from 2008 to 2014, Prime Minister of Armenia.
On February 1, Mr. Grigor Hovhannisyan, former Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles and Ambassador in Mexico will assume his duties as the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the USA.
